


The lake's allure.

by GimmeADamnMic



Series: Fraxus Week 2020 [6]
Category: Fairy Tail
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fairy Tale, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Fairy Tale Elements, M/M, Temptation, bitch boi ivan, myths, so shitty parenting and emotional manipulation, tw ivan
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-18
Updated: 2020-07-18
Packaged: 2021-03-05 00:41:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,263
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25365523
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GimmeADamnMic/pseuds/GimmeADamnMic
Summary: The pull of the lake is not an unknown one to Laxus Dreyar, but it's the first time in his life that he has given in to the impulse to travel there, consequences be damned. As a grown adult, he shouldn't fear his very own father the way he does, but he does nonetheless. Of course the main reason for his bone-chilling fear is the contrast between the man acting in front of the other villagers and how he treats Laxus. By spreading the word that Laxus is nothing but trouble and pretending to be a father concerned for his unruly son's behaviour and what was according to him, deteriorating state of mind.
Relationships: Laxus Dreyar/Freed Justine
Series: Fraxus Week 2020 [6]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1830271
Kudos: 11
Collections: Fraxus Week 2020





	The lake's allure.

**Author's Note:**

> For fraxusweek day 4: Drunk on kisses/alcohol/power/life/etc. I choose drunk on the lake's allure, drunk on temptation.

The pull of the lake is not an unknown one to Laxus Dreyar, but it's the first time in his life that he has given in to the impulse to travel there, consequences be damned. As a grown adult, he shouldn't fear his very own father the way he does, but he does nonetheless. Of course the main reason for his bone-chilling fear is the contrast between the man acting in front of the other villagers and how he treats Laxus. By spreading the word that Laxus is nothing but trouble and pretending to be a father concerned for his unruly son's behaviour and what was according to him, deteriorating state of mind. 

All of that combined with the fact that Laxus couldn't bear any kind of transportation, ensured that the young man would never be able to flee. Concerned villagers would encounter him trying to run away and bring him back, as his feet would never outrun their carriages. As strong as he might be, even he could not beat a group of people. He's stuck here, trapped forever. The only thing that brought him light (no matter how much he might've denied it), his grandfather, had passed this afternoon after a latent illness that kept him asleep and bed-ridden for the last few years. No matter how absent he'd been, at least he'd been there. Right now, Laxus didn't even have that thought to comfort him. 

So impulsively, he'd ran again. Instead of attempting to run towards the neighbouring villages like he'd tried so many times, he'd run towards the wood, towards the enchanted lake. Running, chest heaving, he tries to forget everything. The faint light of the moon endeavours to light his way, but once he nears the lake, he trips over a tree root anyway. 

Facing the dirt, feeling his heart hammer in his chest, he lets out a frustrated scream that is directly muffled by the dirt and the trees surrounding him. Feeling guilty for having interrupted the silence, he turns on his back and tries to catch his breath. From behind him, he hears a splash and curious, he turns around. 

At first, he doesn't see a thing. So despite all the warnings, he gets closer to the lake. At the last possible moment, a piece of advice his grandfather had given him enters his mind. "By all means, go looking for the magic there yourself. However, do keep your feet far enough from the shore, so none of the creatures can drag you down. Be friendly, but not dumb." 

He stops in time and looks again, taking in the otherwordly beauty of the lake under the light of the moon. When he properly pays attention to the reflection of the moon on the water's surface, he can see the silhouette of a person there. Suddenly his gaze clears up, as though the creature saw Laxus looking and decided that he would grace him with his presence. 

And what a presence it is. Although Laxus is quite a distance away, something, maybe magic, allows him to see every detail of this ethereal being. He (Laxus has no doubt that this being is a him, he knows. He let Laxus know) has his long hair draped over his shoulders and most of his upper body. The patches of skin that do show though, seem to have been made of moonlight itself. His eyes, or rather, his sole visible eye is what immediately catches Laxus' attention though. It's as though the iris is clear and the lake itself is shown through it. When the man cocks his head to the side, Laxus can see the blue shift, can see the waves in them getting slightly bigger for a moment before settling down again. 

With a slow movement, the man stretches out his arm, offering it to Laxus. Starstruck, he finds himself unable to move. After a staring match that goes on for a little too long, he coughs and averts his eyes before quickly directing them back to the man, unable to tear his gaze away. 

"I'm sorry, but I don't know if I should take your hand", he whispers, but even though his volume isn't loud, he knows instinctively that he's heard. The man lets his arm disappear back underneath the lake's surface and Laxus is filled with an immediate regret. He wants the man to offer him his hand again, he wants to disappear under the lake's waves, let them take him to who knows where. Here is no place for him.

"Why are you apologising?" the man asks and it takes a while for Laxus to recognise it for what it is. His voice is so gentle, his tone steady and the smooth bariton momentarily wipes all worries from his mind. "Because I'm wasting your time", he clarifies and the man in the lake grants him a kind-natured smile. 

"I don't think you are", he easily replies and that steady, self-assured voice creeps into the crevices of Laxus' mind. There it turns to truth, he's not wasting this man's time. "It's been a long time since you came here, grandpa Makarov was fonder of magic than Ivan. We've grown up and you barely remember this place anymore. A pitiful reality we live really, I looked forward to teasing you. But you wouldn't have any idea what I'd be talking about and teasing without context becomes bullying all too quickly. I have no desire to bring you misery." 

A wry smile appears on Laxus' face. "You'd be the only one then", he jokes, but there's no mirth present. "Oh, I'm not", the man answers easily, steadfast and assured. "You just don't remember the others. We've been waiting for you Laxus Dreyar, we've been waiting for years for your return. I have told you before that this lake is always yours to enter, yours to leave as well. The choice is yours, my dear."

That last set of words solely are nearly enough to make Laxus plunge headfirst into the lake. When had a choice last be his and his alone? He can't even remember. But the doubt's still there, lingering until he'll receive a final push. He expects that push to come from the man in front of him, but instead it comes from the back. 

"There he is!" someone yells and it's easy to pick up who it is. His feet become like lead, his stomach feels like someone dropped a stone in it. They'll drag him back home, prohibit him from ever leaving again. He takes another look at the gorgeous man in the lake, intending for it to be a parting glance.

Once again, his own actions surprise him. His body feels light as a feather again and with a sense of urgency, he sprints from the shore straight into the lake. Waves are pulling from all sides, threatening to push him under, but everything steadies once he grabs hold of the man's arm that's reaching for him once more. "I'm here", he whispers and the man (Freed, some distant whisper tells him), smiles. "I'm glad you are", he whispers back against Laxus' lips before leaning their foreheads against each other. 

They sink under the lake's surface, but Laxus experiences no fear. The arms guiding him down are sturdy, but warm and familiar. On his way down, he's greeted with familiar faces he hasn't seen for a long, long time. He wonders how he could have ever called the place above his home. That quickly slips from his mind though, as does everything else.

**Author's Note:**

> thanks for reading, am fairiesherefairiesthere on tumblr!


End file.
